Pivot file

ABSTRACT

A card file and card wherein information bearing flat cards are pivotably mounted in a tray for movement between a storage and inspection position. In one embodiment, the cards are mounted on a guide rod while in another embodiment each card has a base portion with a circular edge extending more than 180* and the cards pivoted about the base portion while held by guide rods, suitable mating contours or the like.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,826,549 Scholfield July 30, 1974 [54] PIVOT FILE 1,554,818 9/1925 Greenstreet 312/326 1 1 Invent)" RichardP-schomeld,Peekskilt 51152:??? 311322 $3351.11. ""Jiiiiijjiiiiii:iii/33 N.Y. 3,493,l02 2/1970 Belokin, Jr 312/327 X [73] Assignee: Wheeldex Manufacturing Company Inc., Peekskill, NY.

Filed: Jan. 9, 1973 Appl. N0.: 322,149

US. Cl 312/59, 40/67, 211/58, 312/185,312/189 Int. Cl A47f 63/00, A47f 1/00, B65h 1/00 Field of Search 206/ 1 A, 37 A, 44 B; 211/46, 47, 53-58, 170; 312/50, 59,

Vance 40/67 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby &

Cushman [5 7 ABSTRACT A card file and card wherein information bearing flat cards are pivotably mounted in a tray for movement between a storage and inspection position. In one embodiment, the cards are mounted on a guide rod while in another embodiment each card has a base portion with a circular edge extending more than 180 and the cards pivoted about the base portion while held by guide rods, suitable mating contours or the like.

25 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures U 55145 L E plea-74 PATENTED M30 9374 SHEEY 1 [If 4 PATENIEB M3 @5934 SHEU 3 BF 4 1 PIVOT FILE BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a card file and to file cards for use therewith.

Card files in which each card bears some different piece of information have been in widespread use for many years. The advantages of this type of data storage include ready and quick access by flipping through the cards, ease of change and addition of information through new and replaced cards, and the economy of a generally simple construction.

One type of file which has found use in the past is termed a pivot file. In this kind of file, the information bearing cards are pivotably mounted within a drawer or the like so that they can be pivoted from a storage to an insepection position. The patents to Smyth, US. Pat. No. 306,291, and Schindler, US. Pat. No. 663,825 show two such files. By pivotably mounting the cards in a tray, drawer or the like, the danger of loss of a card through removing or misfiling is minimized since the cards cannot normally be removed. Further, by pivoting the cards to an inspection position, they can be readily fanned to locate any desired card.

The present invention relates to a file and to cards which can be used therein in which the cards are pivot-' ablymounted in the file so that they cannot be readily removed and lost but are still readily available for in.- spection. The file includes a tray having two end members connected by a bottom or base member. The bottom member has two sides which extend upward from the bottom, preferably in planes intersecting in an obtuse angle. Each of the cards likewise has a pair of edges or at least portions thereof extending from the bottom of the card and. forming an angle which is less than the angle formed between the sides of the bottom member. The width of each of the cards is considerably less than the corresponding distance between the sides of the bottom member. The cards are pivotably mountedin the file which can preferably rest in either of twopositions so that the, cards-are normallystored with their side edges against one of the sides of the bottom member. For inspection, any desired number of cards'can be easily and simply pivoted essentially to a vertical position adjacent or against the other side of the bottom member for ready viewing. The cards chosen for inspection are completelyfree of all other cards or guides and yet are securely pivoted in constant alignment for easy fan-scanning. Since the file can be placed in either of two positions with the cards stored against either side of the bottom member, the file can be used with equal effectiveness by both leftand righthanded people.

In one embodiment of this invention, as discussed in detail below, the cards are pivotably held in the tray by a pivot rod which connects the two end members and which passes through a hole in each card located near the bottom thereof. Each side of the bottom member preferably mates as closely as possible with the edge of the card so that the movement of the cards following removal of the pivot guide to replace or add additional cards is minimal. If desired, the side member may include a raised portion mating with a notch in each of the cards for holding the cards in position in the file while the pivot rod is removed.

. According to a further embodiment of the invention, each of the cards includes an arcuate base portion of greater than This arcuate portion may be held in place by one or two guide rods which extend between the ends and which can be readily moved to add or replace cards. Alternatively, a pair of semi-circular members connected with a spring and mounted between the two end members can be employed for holding the card in place. In another embodiment, the cards are mounted in a drawer with a follower element atop a portion of the arcuate section for holding the cards in place by gravity.

Many other changes and modifications of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.

BRIEF DSCRIPT ION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows aperspective view of one embodiment of the card file of this invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exact outline of one card used in the file of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an exact outline of a guide card used in the file of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the file of FIG. 1 along the lines 4-4.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 with a raised portion mating with a notch in each of the cards for holding the cards in place while the guide rod is removed.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the guide rod of the embodiments of FIGS. l-S.

FIG. 7 shows a portion of one of the end members with the spring which holds the guide rod in place.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of the invention in which cards having an arcuate base section of greater than 180 are held in place by one or more guide rods which pass between the end members.

FIG. 9 shows an exact outline of one of the cards of the embodiment of FIG. 8.

' FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the guide rod which holds the cards in the embodiment of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 shows a sectional view of a further embodiment of the invention with spring-loaded, semi-circular holding segments employed to hold in place cards having an arcuate bottom section of greater than 180.

FIG. 12 shows aperspective view of the holding segments of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows an end view of a further embodiment of the invention in which the cards are mounted in a drawer with a holding member riding a part of the arcuate section to normallyy hold the cards in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to FIGS. l-7 which illustrate a first embodiment of this invention together with a modification thereof. Card file 20, as can be seen best in FIGS. 1 and 4, is comprised of two identical end members 22 and 24 which are connected by a bottom member 26, having a cross-section such as shown in FIG. 4. End members 22 and 24 are preferably constructed of plastic, while bottom member 26 is preferably formed from sheet metal or the like. End members 22 and 24 and bottom member 26 may be fastened together rigidly by any suitable means, for example, screws.

Two types of cards are designed to be pivotably mounted within the card file. Card 30 shown in FIG. 2 normally bears information such as names, addresses, etc. Card 32 shown in FIG. 3 is slightly wider along its top edge 34 than the top edge 36 of card 30. Further, the distance between the rounded bottom edge 38 and the top straight edge 34 of card 32 is slightly less than the similar distance between the rounded bottom edge 40 and top straight edge 36 of card 30. Accordingly, card 32 will protrude slightly beyond card 30 and similar cards to provide a guide index, for example, an alphabetical index. Card 38 is preferably marked with this index on both sides thereof so that, irrespective of whether the card file is in the position shown in FIG. 4 resting on feet 44 and 46 of end members 22 and 24 with side 60 essentially horizontal or in an alternative position resting between feet 44 and 48 with side 62 essentially horizontal, the guide cards will be visible.

In addition to top edge 36 and rounded bottom edge 40, card has a pair of side edges which are comprised of portions 50 and 52 and 54 and 56, respectively. Portions 50 and 54 extend upward from the bottom edge and the extensions of these edges form an acuteangle. Portions 52 and 56 extend parallel to each other. Card 32 is provided with similar side edges. Thus,-as can be seen in FIG. 4, the side edge of card 30 mates with either side 60 or 62 of the bottommember 26. These-two sides 60 and 62 lie in planes which intersect at an angle which exceeds the angle of intersection of the side edge sections and 54'of card 30 and preferably is an obtuse angle. Further, the distance across card 30 from side edge to side edge is much less than the corresponding distance between sides and 62 of bottom member 26. Because the angle between sides 60 and62 of bottom member 26 exceeds the angle between the line extensions of side edges 50 and 54 and this side to side distance is greater, card 30 can be placed in the tray and pivoted from a storage position which, as shown in FIG. 4, is included to a position in which the card is essentially vertical and the information on it can be readily viewed while the cards are easily fanned as shown in FIG. 1.

In the embodiment of FIGS. l-7, the cards 30 and 32 are pivotably mounted in the file by means of a guide rod 64 which extends between end members 22 and 24 and passes through an aperture in each of'the cards. Pivot rod 64 thus forms an axis of rotation for cards 30 and 32. Card 30 is provided with a hole 66 which is adjacent its lower edge 40, and card 32 is provided with a similar hole 68. If desired, each of the card holes can be connected to an edge by a slot to facilitate removal of a card without removing pivot rod 64. As can be seen in.FlG. 7, one of the end members 22 is provided with a spring 70 which engages a cut-away portion 72 of guide rod 64 shown in FIG. 6 to latch guide rod 64 in place so that it can be readily removed by application of a force along its axis but will not normally fall out of place.

As mentioned briefly above, sides 60 and 62 of bottom member 26 are also preferably shaped to match the edges of cards 30 and 32 'to minimize the movement of those cards when a guide rod is removed for replacement or addition of cards. As shown in FIG. 4, sides 60 and 62 have an end section 76 which is angled to mate with the portions 52 and 56 of the side edge of card 30. F IG. 5 illustrates a further modificationof the embodiment of FIG. 4 in which the side edge is provided with a raised portion 80 which mates with a notch provided in each of the cards 82to even further assist in preventing lateral movement of the cards while the guide rod is removed.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 8-10 which illustrate a further and similar embodiment of this invention, and in which each of the cards, such as card in FIG. 9, are provided with an arcuate base section 102 which extends greater than 180 and which is then engaged to pivotably mount the card within the tray. The base section preferably is circular. The cards then do not have an aperture nor is a guide rod used for passing through each of the cards. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8-10, the tray, as in the embodiment of FIGS. l-7, is constructed from two end members and a bottom member 104 which connects the end members and which supports the cards. As in the above embodiment, bottom member 104 has two sides 106 and 108 which extend essentially in planes which intersect at an obtuse angle so that the card 100 which may include guide cards of slightly greater width can be pivoted from a storage to an inspection position. Also as in the embodiment of FIGS. l-7, bottom member 104 may either rest on feet 1 10 and 112 or feet -1 10 and 1 14 so that the file can be used with equal efficiency by individuals of both rightand left-hand inclination.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, aguide rod 116 operates to hold the cards-in place in the file by engaging portions of the arcuate bottom section 102 of each of the cards. Further, .base or bottom member 108 contains an arcute support 115 of roughly 180 which also operates to support the circular'base 102 of each of the cards 100. The two end members between which cards 100 extend are provided with a number of holes each with a slot. Guide rod 116 can be inserted and locked in any of these holes. If it is desired to store the cards, so that they cannot be more than slightly. moved or in anyway replaced, guidr rod 116 would be placed through aperture 120 and rotated so that protrusions v122 do not mate with slot 124. For permitting inspection of the cards, the guide rod would be moved to hole 124 and for removal to hole 126. To support the cards in the opposite position as indicated by dashed lines,

holes 128, and 134 are provided and these operate in the same fashion as holes 120, 124 and 126.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention in which a card such as shown in FIG. 9 having an arcuate base or bottom section is employed. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the cards are held in place by two semi-circular members 130 and 132 which are urged in the direction of the arrows toward each other by a spring 136. A latch is preferably provided for holding the sections in the position illustrated in FIG. 11 for rotating the cards to an inspection position.

FIG. 13 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention through which a number of cards which each have an arcuate section 142 are mounted in a conventional file drawer cabinet 146 and held in place by a follower block 148 having a slot 146 with a rod 154 mounted in the slot so that the follower block moves as the card 140 is manually pivoted out of the drawer.

The above embodiments by no means exhaust the possibilitiesfor the use of this type of cards and this type of file. If desired, the cards could be mounted in drawers on a circular wheel to present any desired given drawer to an individual for perusal of the cards a tray having opposed ends for holding between them a plurality of cards adapted for bearing information and a member extending between said ends for supporting said cards and having a pair of side surfaces fixed in orientation with respect to each other extending upward from a bottom at an obtuse angle and substantially in intersecting planes, and

a plurality of flat file cards adapted for bearing information and pivotably mounted in said tray forv movement from a storage to an inspection position, each card having a pair of side edges extending along said side surfaces with the radial distance between said side surface at any radius from the pivot point being greater than the distance between said side surfaces at that radius.

2. A file as in claim 1 wherein said ends are formed of plastic and said member is metal.

3. A file as in claim 1 wherein said tray includes portions for resting the tray in either of two positions.

4. A file as in claim 1 further including a pivot rod extending between said ends and passing through an aperture in each card.

5. A file as in claim 4 wherein one of said ends includes a spring member for holding said pivot rod.

6. A tile as in claim 4 wherein each said card has a bottom edge, a pair of side edges each extending from said bottom edge and at least a portion extending from said bottom edge so that the portions form an acute angle with respect to each other, a top edge connecting the side edges of said card at the ends thereof remote from said bottom edge and the distance between said side edges is greater adjacent said top edge than adjacent said bottom edge, and a hole through said card adjacent said bottom edge for pivotably mounting said card in a file.

7. A card as in claim 6 wherein said bottom edge is curved and said side edges each are formed with two straight sections, one forming said position and the others extending parallel to each other.

8. A file as in claim 1 further including means for pivotably mounting said cards in said tray.

9. A file as in claim 8 wherein each said card has an arcuate section at its bottom extending more than 180 and wherein mounting means includes a pair of guide rods mounted between said ends and each movable from a position permitting pivoting of each of said cards, but not removal, to a position permitting removal.

10. A file as in claim 9 wherein said member includes an arcuate bottom portion extending less than l80 for receiving the arcuate section of each of said cards.

11. A file as in claim 8 wherein each said card has a base section at its bottom with an arcuate edge extending more than 180 said mounting means engages said arcuate edge.

12. A file as in claim 1 further including'a plurality of guide cards having a separation between sides greater than the separation between sides of said file cards.

ber urging said hemispherical 13. A file as in claim 1 wherein said tray has feet for supporting said tray in either of two positions.

14. A card file comprising:

a tray having a pair of opposed ends and sides extending between the ends,

a plurality of cards adapted for bearing information and pivotably mounted in said file about an axis extending between said ends, the radial distance between the side edges of each of said cards at any radius from said axis being substantially less than the radial distance between said sides of said tray at the same radius, and

means for pivotably mounting said cards in said tray.

15. A flat file card having an upper portion adapted for bearing information and a lower base portion having an arcuate edge of greater than for pivotably mounting said card in a file.

16. A card as in claim 15 wherein said arcuate edge 20 is circular.

17. A flat file card having a bottom edge, a pair of side edges each extending from said bottom edge and at least a portion extending from said bottom edge so that the portions form an acute angle with respect to each other, a top edge connecting the side edges of said card at the ends thereof'remote from said bottom edge and the distance between said side edges is greater adjacent said top edge than adjacent said bottom edge and a hole through said card adjacent said bottom edge for pivotably mounting said card in a file.

18. A card as in claim 17 wherein said edges are each straight with curved portions joining said side edges to said bottom edge and said side edges to said top edge.

19. A card as in claim 17 wherein said bottom edge is curved and said side edges each are formed with two straight sections, one forming said portion and the others extending parallel to each other.

20. A card file comprising:

a tray,

a plurality of fiat file cards each having an upper information bearing portion and a base portion bounded by an arcuate edge extending more than 180 and defining a pivot axis for that card, and

means for pivotably mounting said card in said tray.

21. A file as in claim 20 wherein said arcuate edge is circular.

22. A file as in claim 21 wherein said pivotably mounting means-includes a fixed block member supporting a part of said base portion and an opposed movable block engaging another part of said base portion.

23. A file as in claim 21 wherein said tray includes a pair of end members and a base member extending between saidend members.

24. A file as in claim 23 wherein said mounting means includes at least a single guide rod and said end 60 members each includes a plurality of apertures for supporting said guide rod at a plurality of positions.

25. A file as in claim 23 wherein said mounting means includes a pair of hemispherical members extending between said end member and a spring memmembers together. =l= 

1. A card file comprising: a tray having opposed ends for holding between them a plurality of cards adapted for bearing information and a member extending between said ends for supporting said cards and having a pair of side surfaces fixed in orientation with respect to each other extending upward from a bottom at an obtuse angle and substantially in intersecting planes, and a plurality of flat file cards adapted for bearing information and pivotably mounted in said tray for movement from a storage to an inspection position, each card having a pair of side edges extending along said side surfaces with the radial distance between said side surface at any radius from the pivot point being greater than the distance between said side surfaces at that radius.
 2. A file as in claim 1 wherein said ends are formed of plastic and said member is metal.
 3. A file as in claim 1 wherein said tray includes portions for resting the tray in either of two positions.
 4. A file as in claim 1 further including a pivot rod extending between said ends and passing through an aperture in each card.
 5. A file as in claIm 4 wherein one of said ends includes a spring member for holding said pivot rod.
 6. A file as in claim 4 wherein each said card has a bottom edge, a pair of side edges each extending from said bottom edge and at least a portion extending from said bottom edge so that the portions form an acute angle with respect to each other, a top edge connecting the side edges of said card at the ends thereof remote from said bottom edge and the distance between said side edges is greater adjacent said top edge than adjacent said bottom edge, and a hole through said card adjacent said bottom edge for pivotably mounting said card in a file.
 7. A card as in claim 6 wherein said bottom edge is curved and said side edges each are formed with two straight sections, one forming said position and the others extending parallel to each other.
 8. A file as in claim 1 further including means for pivotably mounting said cards in said tray.
 9. A file as in claim 8 wherein each said card has an arcuate section at its bottom extending more than 180* and wherein mounting means includes a pair of guide rods mounted between said ends and each movable from a position permitting pivoting of each of said cards, but not removal, to a position permitting removal.
 10. A file as in claim 9 wherein said member includes an arcuate bottom portion extending less than 180* for receiving the arcuate section of each of said cards.
 11. A file as in claim 8 wherein each said card has a base section at its bottom with an arcuate edge extending more than 180* said mounting means engages said arcuate edge.
 12. A file as in claim 1 further including a plurality of guide cards having a separation between sides greater than the separation between sides of said file cards.
 13. A file as in claim 1 wherein said tray has feet for supporting said tray in either of two positions.
 14. A card file comprising: a tray having a pair of opposed ends and sides extending between the ends, a plurality of cards adapted for bearing information and pivotably mounted in said file about an axis extending between said ends, the radial distance between the side edges of each of said cards at any radius from said axis being substantially less than the radial distance between said sides of said tray at the same radius, and means for pivotably mounting said cards in said tray.
 15. A flat file card having an upper portion adapted for bearing information and a lower base portion having an arcuate edge of greater than 180* for pivotably mounting said card in a file.
 16. A card as in claim 15 wherein said arcuate edge is circular.
 17. A flat file card having a bottom edge, a pair of side edges each extending from said bottom edge and at least a portion extending from said bottom edge so that the portions form an acute angle with respect to each other, a top edge connecting the side edges of said card at the ends thereof remote from said bottom edge and the distance between said side edges is greater adjacent said top edge than adjacent said bottom edge and a hole through said card adjacent said bottom edge for pivotably mounting said card in a file.
 18. A card as in claim 17 wherein said edges are each straight with curved portions joining said side edges to said bottom edge and said side edges to said top edge.
 19. A card as in claim 17 wherein said bottom edge is curved and said side edges each are formed with two straight sections, one forming said portion and the others extending parallel to each other.
 20. A card file comprising: a tray, a plurality of flat file cards each having an upper information bearing portion and a base portion bounded by an arcuate edge extending more than 180* and defining a pivot axis for that card, and means for pivotably mounting said card in said tray.
 21. A file as in claim 20 wherein said arcuate edge is circular.
 22. A file as in claim 21 wherein said pivotably mounting means includEs a fixed block member supporting a part of said base portion and an opposed movable block engaging another part of said base portion.
 23. A file as in claim 21 wherein said tray includes a pair of end members and a base member extending between said end members.
 24. A file as in claim 23 wherein said mounting means includes at least a single guide rod and said end members each includes a plurality of apertures for supporting said guide rod at a plurality of positions.
 25. A file as in claim 23 wherein said mounting means includes a pair of hemispherical members extending between said end member and a spring member urging said hemispherical members together. 